Safety lock for firearms



June 4-, 1946.

G. A. HENDEY SAFETY LOCK FOR FIREARMS Filed June 14, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l IN V EN TOR.

GEOQGE-AHENDEY ATTY s June 4-, 1946. G. A. HENDEY 2,401,482

SAFETY LOOK FOR FIREARMS Filed June 14, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GEODGE -A- HENDEY INVENTOR.

BY g, M f {Var 44W ATTY S Patented June 14, 1946 um'rsn stares m arms SAFETY FIREARMS George A. Bender, Rome, N. Y. Application June-14, 194$, Se l'lfil N0. 540,212 6 Claims. (01. 62-70) This invention relates to safety locks for firearms and has for its object means for blocking the pulling of the trigger, which means is shiftable out of blocking position by the end of the trigger finger of the operator when reaching in g a natural manner to pull the trigger, and which shifts back into blocking position when the trigger finger is removed from the trigger, so that the sear of the gun lock mechanism can not be jarred loose or released, except by the pulling of 10 the trigger, and pulling of the trigger is blocked by the safety lock, except when the operator has his finger on the trigger.

The invention consists in the novel features and in the combinations and constructions hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In describing this invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawings in which like characters designate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a gun embodying this invention.

A plane of line 5-6, the normal position. of the trigger lock being shown in Figure 5 and the operated position in Figure 6.

The safety lock may be applied to any type of gun having a trigger. It is here shown as applied to the type of gun which is placed against the shoulder and fired, as a rifle or shot gun.

I designates the stock and forearm of the gun, the forearm covering the frame enclosing the gun lock mechanism in the usual manner. 2 designates the trigger, and 3 the usual trigger guard, the trigger guard being secured in the usual manner to the forearm or to the frame of the gun.

The safety lock means includes a blocker or plate 4 which is substantially the same contour as the inner face of the trigger guard and loosely fits into the trigger guard, the blocker being normally arranged in the trigger guard in the plane of the trigger and having a slot 5 for receiving and conforming to the trigger. The blocker is here shown as hinged along one edge; as the top, bottom, front or rear edge, to swing laterally to the right or left out of the plane of the trigger, and thereby carry the slot clear of the trigger, so that .the trigger can be pulled. Obviously, the blocker may be so swung by the end of the trigger finger of the operator coming in contact with one side or the other of the blocker in front of the trigger when the operator is reaching for the trigger. The blocker is selfreturnable into the plane of the trigger and into the trigger guard when the trigger finger is removed, and it is preferably so returnable by two springs, one mounted to return the spring frgm the right side and the other from the left s e.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the blocker 6 is hinged at 8 along one edge, as its upper edge. to swing laterally in opposite directions against the action of right and left spring I mounted to return the blocker into the plane of the trigger. The hinge pins 6 in Figure 1 are shown as carried in the base of the trigger guard 3. The spring I is here shown, for illustrative purposes, as a bowed spring in a recess 8 in the forearm or in the trigger guard having its apex coacting with the apex of a transversely rounded'surface 9 on the upper edge of the blocker 4. In Figures 4. 5 and 6, the blocker is shown as pivoted to the trigger guard at its front edge on a vertical axis at H and acted upon in opposite directions by a suitable spring l2 similar to the spring I and coacting' with a rounding surface l3 on the front edge of the blocker similar to the surface 9.

In some firearms, the trigger shifts forward slightly when the hammer of the gun is cocked,

and in this type of gun, the slot 5, as seen in Figure 4, is wide enough to permit such forward shifting, but in so doing, this leaves a portion of the slot of sufficient width or leaves sufficient clearance back of the trigger to permit pulling or jarring of the trigger, and hence the release of the sear of the gun lock mechanism. In order to avoid this, the blocker 40 may be provided with a follow-up device l4 here shown as a pawl pivoted at It in the blocker in the rear of the slot and pressed by a spring I6 forwardly against the rear edge of the trig er. When the trigger shifts forwardly under the hammer cocking action, the pawl l4 follows up under the influence of the spring l6 and engages a notch l1 in the rear edge of the trigger, the arrangement or angle of the pawl now being such that the trigger cannot be pulled. when, however, the blocker is shifted laterally out of the plane of the trigger guard, the pawl is carried therewith out of blocking position, so that the trigger can be pulled. After the trigger is pulled, and the finger removed, the blocker swings back to its normal position in the plane of the trigger guard and in so doing retracts the pawl against the action of the spring owing to the rounding edge is on the end of the pawl which coacts with the trigger with a cam action during the return of the.

blocker to its position in the plane of the trigger.

Many variations of the mounting. of the blocker may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. In any case,.the blocker is normally arranged'in the plane of the trigger, has a slot for receiving the trig er and is mounted to swing out of the plane of the trigger by reason of the end of the trigger finger of the operator pressing against the blocker when reaching'naturally for the trigger. Hence, the gun may not be fired by the trigger drag n against an obstruction, as when climbing over or through fences or dragging the gun along the ground or by a Jar when dropping the gun.

B reason of a blocker shiftable out of blocking position by the natural movement of the trigger finger when reaching for the trigger, the time now lost in releasing the usual safety lock on firearms, when aiming the gun at moving game or a target, is eliminated. No time is lost in shifting the blocker out of blocking position, as the blocker is moved out of blocking position by the natural movement of the trigger finger when reaching for the trigger. Hence, there is more time for the gunner to get a bead on the target or moving object. I

What I claim is? 1. In a safety lock for firearms of the type having a trigger, the combination with the firearm and the trigger, of the lock including a blocker normally in position to block pulling of the trigger comprising a plate arranged in the plane of movement of the trigger and having a slot for receiving the trigger, the plate being mounted to be shifted out of said plane by the end of the trigger finger of the operator when reaching in a natural way for the trigger.

the trigger when the operator is reaching for the trigger naturally, said follow-up device being formed to coact with the trigger to retract the follow-up device when the blocker is moved back into the plane of the trigger.

4. A safety lock for firearms of the type which the trigger is shifted forward slightly during the cocking of the hammer of the gun, the combination with the firearm and its trigger, of the safety lock including a blocker normally arranged in the plane of movement of the trigger and having a slot for receiving the trigger, the

2. In a safety lock for firearms of the type having a trigger and a trigger guard, the combina-' tion with the firearm, trigger and trigger guard, of the safety lock comprising a plate mounted in the trigger guard, normally located between the lateral edges thereof and formed with a slot for receiving the trigger, thereby blocking pulling of the trigger, the blocker being pivotally mounted to the trigger guard to be shifted laterally out of the path of the trigger by the end of the trigger finger oi the operator when reaching naturally for the trigger. I

3. A safety lock for firearms of the type in which the trigger is shifted forward slightly during the cocking of the hammer of the gun, the combination with the firearm and its trigger, of the safety lock including a blocker normally arranged in the plane of movement of the trigger and having a slot for receiving the trigger, the slot being of greater width from front to rear than the trigger permitting the forward shifting of the trigger during the cocking of the hammer, follow-up means on the blocker for coacting with the trigger to prevent pulling of the trigger whenthe hammer is cocked, an amount equal to the space between the rear edge of the trigger and the rear wall of the slot,.the blocker being arranged to be engaged by the end of the trigger finger and moved laterally out of the plane of,

slot being of greater width from front to rear than the trigger permitting the forward shifting of the trigger during the cocking of the hammer, follow-up means on the blocker for coacting with the trigger to prevent pulling of the trigger when the hammer is cocked, an amount equal to the space between the rear edge of the trigger and the rear wall of the slot, the blocker being arranged to be engaged by the end of the trigger finger and moved laterally out of the plane of the trigger when the operator is reaching for the trigger naturally, said follow-up device being formed to coact with the trigger to retract the follow-up device when the blocker is moved back into the plane of the trigger, and self-returning means acting on the blocker to return it into the plane of the trigger.

5. A safety lock for firearms of the type in which the trigger is shifted forward slightly during the cooking of the hammer of the gun, the combination with the firearm and its trigger, of the safety lock including a blocker normally arranged in the plane of movement of the trigger and having a slot for receiving the trigger,

the slot being of greater width from front to rear" the trigger naturally, said follow-up device being,

formed to coact with the trigger to retract the follow-up device when the blocker is moved back into the planeof the trigger, said follow-up device including a spring-pressed pawl carried by the blocker in the rear of the slot and extending into the slot in position to engage the trigger at an angle to block the same when the trigger is moved forwardly under the cocking action of the hammer of the gun.

6. In a safety lock for firearms of the type which has a trigger, the combination with the firearm and the trigger, of the lock including a blocker plate normally located in the plane of the trigger and having a slot for receiving the trigger and preventing operating movement of the cocked trigger, the blocker plate being mounted to be shifted laterally out of blocking position in either lateral direction by the end of the trigger finger of the operator when reaching in a natural way for the trigger.

GEORGE A. HENDEY. 

